


Sharing Songs

by SonicCeleste



Series: Crystals and Rolanberries [9]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Bard Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Fluff, Just songs and fluff to be honest, M/M, Writing lyrics is haaaaard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24118690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicCeleste/pseuds/SonicCeleste
Summary: No’a and G’raha catch up on songs they’ve learnt since their time apart.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: Crystals and Rolanberries [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841296
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	Sharing Songs

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic I’ve been working on and off with since November and I’m so glad I finally managed to finish it x.x Please enjoy!

It was an odd way of receiving a summons, honestly.

Having returned from exploring some more of Kholusia to build his experience as a Dancer, No’a had walked up to his room in the Pendants to find an envelope tucked neatly in between the doors. He carefully picked it out and opened it, finding a simple note with familiar, sloped handwriting.

_ “No’a, _

_ “If you’re not too tired from your excursion, pray meet me at the Ocular. Rest assured this is not a request for your skills - merely a request for your company.” _

(At the bottom of the note,  _ “Crystal Exarch” _ was hastily scribbled out, and a very small  _ “Raha” _ was written next to it.)

“Sweetness, your love letter skills need some work…” No’a chuckled lightly to himself, shaking his head as he pocketed the envelope. He headed into his room to change - or rather, put some more clothes on than the mere loose trousers and sandals he wore for training - and reapply his patchy eye makeup.  _ Never _ meet someone when you look like you’ve suddenly got two black eyes - especially your boyfriend.

Buttoning up his shirt as he left (of course dyed a bright rolanberry, and of course leaving an ample amount of chest visible to further fluster G’raha), No’a strolled along to the Dossal Gate. The sun was in the midst of setting, making the Crystal Tower sparkle with shades of orange, pink and purple alongside its typical bright blue, and the bard couldn’t help but stare as he walked up the many, many stairs to the Tower’s door, the guard guiding him through before he could even say anything. He supposed that was to be expected what with how often he visited, but what surprised him was how the guard put a finger to his lips and grinned as they approached the Ocular. No’a nodded slowly, confused as anything, and the guard went on his way without so much as a word to his behaviour - though judging by the look on his face he was very pleased with himself.

No’a went to open the door when his ears flicked - he heard something. A familiar voice, singing an even more familiar tune.

Ah. So that was what the guard meant.

He pressed his head at the gap between the doors, one fuzzy blue ear turned to better hear the soft humming echoing in the room. It wasn’t a perfect match, but No’a knew the song instantly. He wrote it, after all. It was his Requiem of the Sands... But after all this time, why was he…?

No’a backed away from the door in favour of opening it as quietly as he could, not wanting to disturb the singer. Sure enough, there was the Exarch - G’raha, rather - facing away from the entrance, seemingly lost in thought as he hummed in a lower key than what No’a usually played on his flute. Had he figured out how to make it fit his vocal range?  _ How cute, _ No’a thought with a soft smile.

_ Maybe he’d like some accompaniment. _

He waited for G’raha to begin again - it was a short song all things considered - before he joined in, making the other Miqo’te jump and turn around suddenly with his face almost as red as his hair. That didn’t faze No’a, who kept humming, and eventually G’raha joined back in again; a soft, slightly lower tone to complement No’a’s more confident, ranged one. It was as if the world outside and even the very air between them stopped as they gazed at each other, harmonising perfectly together as expected of two bards. Well, one bard and one mage, but G’raha was far from rusty.

Eventually their singing came to an end, and they were both silent, as if taking in what had happened, before G’raha spoke.

“I’m, um... I’m glad to see you accepted my invitation, No’a,” he said, trying his best to return to his usual dignified persona - though not without a second-long glance at No’a’s half-open shirt, to the bard’s smug delight.

“Of course! Though I have to say that you’ve still got a remarkable singing voice, Raha. I thought you would’ve forgotten the requiem after all this time - so when did you hear me perform? Was it at the Inn with Alisaie? Putting on a show for the kids in Gatetown? Or perhaps in the Rak’tika Greatwood when I stole a moment away to myself?” No’a grinned unabashedly as he watched G’raha sputter and turn into a bright red flustered mess again. Hundreds of years older, but he was still so easy to get a reaction out of. It was fun.

“I-I heard... That is, I, uh..” The Exarch’s ears folded back as he looked away with a sheepish smile. “It was all three. Not that I was intending to listen to that specifically, you understand, but it was... nice. It reminded me of the old days.”

No’a’s expression softened. He did remember talking to G’raha about his journey to become a fully-fledged Bard one evening, way back when - he taught G’raha his requiem while the Seeker taught him a song from his tribe. He remembered G’raha being delighted at perfecting the tune so quickly, and their promise to exchange more songs later, clinking their mugs together for good luck before their final excursion. The one where everything changed, and G’raha left shortly after.

That promise...

“Have you learnt any songs during your time here?” No’a asked. G’raha gave him a puzzled look, which he chuckled at. “In the time since you shut yourself away in the Tower, I made a few new songs, you see. Besides, I haven’t really heard much from here - it’d be good to expand my musical horizons!” He finished his sentence with a theatrical wave of his hands.

G’raha chuckled behind his crystal hand. No’a wished he wouldn’t do that.

“Very well,” G’raha said finally. “Should we find somewhere quiet? As much as this room is private, there’s, well... nowhere to sit.”

“Yeah, I was meaning to mention, you should really ask the folks at the Mean to fix something up for you. Or even just drag the stuff from the Umbilicus into here, y’know?  _ Something _ so we don’t have to stand around awkwardly.” No’a shrugged as he held the Ocular door open. “But I’m rambling. Why don’t we go to my room?”

The short walk over to the Pendants was a pleasant one, with G’raha updating No’a on how the Crystarium was faring. In all honesty, No’a wasn’t one to pay attention to boring, complicated things such as the politics of running a city, but watching G’raha talk at length was worth it in his opinion. There was a certain shine in those glowing ruby eyes as he praised the efforts made to help rebuild Norvrandt that made No’a slightly jealous of the collective citizenry. It was selfish, he realised, but somewhere deep in his heart he wished to keep that loving gaze all to himself.

They reached No’a’s room, the blue bard opening the door with a dramatic bow like many times before while G’raha reacted the same way every time, hurrying inside with a blush on his cheeks that made No’a grin. Despite spending so much time here, No’a only really kept to certain spots - most of the time the bed, but he always used the same chair at the table, and the same cushioned stool by the large window. Whether it was a sense of comfort or some kind of… ingrained, ancient Miqo’te territorial behaviour, he wasn’t sure - he made a mental note to ask Y’shtola next time he saw her. Regardless, he pulled out two chairs and beckoned for G’raha to sit as he picked up his harp from the table, double-checking the strings.

“Right then,” G’raha said, a hint of nervousness in his voice, “should I go first, or would you like to?”

“I’ll go first, don’t worry - I can see your hands shaking from here, old man,” No’a replied smugly, causing the other to blush lightly from embarrassment and force his hands in his lap. No’a started strumming idly, thinking, before nodding to himself and looking up at G’raha.

“This one’s...” He hesitated for a second. “This one is called Dirge of Silver. Not the best of starts, but... it means a lot. You probably know why.”

G’raha nodded solemnly, and No’a started to play. It was a sad song, as all dirges were, but so beautiful - almost seeming to chronicle the story of hope, sacrifice and regret by sheer notes alone. G’raha had read the count’s memoirs countless times, and so knew precisely who this was for. It almost felt... rude, listening to such a personal, intimate song, but No’a didn’t seem to mind, absentmindedly humming some half-finished lyrics as he plucked his harp effortlessly. It was odd - the look on his face was focused, yet there was a certain glassy, faraway look in his eyes at the same time. No doubt he was remembering the song’s subject.

Eventually the song came to a close, and quiet fell between the two Miqo’te once again. No’a was still lost in his thoughts… G’raha eventually broke the silence, tactfully keeping his voice low so as not to startle the bard from his reminiscing. “That was… beautiful, No’a; a chronicle in song, if you don’t mind my saying so. Thank you for letting me listen.”

“Ah, it’s nothing really,” No’a replied instantly with a lighthearted shrug, and the Exarch thought that was that - but then the bard sighed and smiled fondly.

“It’s… odd, the feeling I get while performing that one,” the bard admitted, his voice low and quiet as his faraway gaze fell to the floor. “I never held anything romantic for Haurchefant - surprising, I know,” he flashed a grin briefly, “but remembering him like this makes me feel… warm. Like I can just look at the door and he’ll stroll in all smiles and crazy Elezen height with his hot chocolate again. He was a good bloke. Damn good hot chocolate too, heh… I need to find a recipe sometime.”

G’raha simply smiled warmly, not wanting to interrupt. No’a never really spoke of the events in Ishgard - all G’raha knew, he learnt from the count’s memoirs far in the future of that thwarted timeline - so the few moments when he did… It was seeing a side to No’a that not even the Scions saw that often. Vulnerable, regretful, lost in a flurry of emotions that the bard could never put into words, even after a good few years of contemplation and personal growth. The fact that G’raha was trusted enough for his beloved inspiration to lower his guard - a far cry from the anger and distrust when they first met - he still found it unbelievable, yet he wasn’t going to break that trust. Ever.

“So… I believe it’s my turn now, correct? It’s been a long time since I’ve  _ properly  _ sung, but… I’ll do my best.” G’raha cleared his throat and closed his eyes. Before No’a could even ask what he was going to sing, the Exarch had started - a lullaby, it sounded like, probably something he used to send Lyna off to sleep as a child, and a very different song to the powerful Seeker fight song he’d taught No’a back at the Seventh Heaven all that time ago. His softer tone matched it perfectly, and No’a found himself relaxing, his breathing slowing, as though he could fall asleep at any moment. Or maybe that was just because he felt relaxed around G’raha in the first place - he didn’t feel like he had to put up a strong, heroic persona like he usually did around the Crystarium. Instead, he could just be No’a Katri, and likewise the Exarch could just be G’raha Tia again. No pretenses, no titles, no overhanging expectations or ideals; just themselves, raw and genuine and supportive. It was comforting beyond words, and he knew G’raha felt the same. He always looked happier when they were alone, those gorgeous ruby eyes alight with so much warmth…

“No’a?”

The bard startled from his thoughts and G’raha looked at him with an amused smile. “It’s not often I catch you daydreaming. Something on your mind?”

“Just about how amazing you are with that voice, sweetness~” No’a replied almost instantly, grinning as he watched the redhead’s face flush and his full lips curve into an adorable pout. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. “Oh, speaking of, I’ve got a surprise for you - good timing I suppose.”

“Is it another song?” G’raha asked with a tilt of his head. “I’ve heard a few people say that they’ve witnessed you practicing on the lookout by the amaro stables at night.”

“Mm, kinda.” The bard plucked a few strings, humming to their sound, before continuing. “You know the song I wrote for you? I finished writing lyrics for it. Gave it a name, even.”

“Oh, really?” G’raha tried to contain his excitement at the fact that  _ No’a had actually finished his song, all his own, how blessed he was to be given such a gift _ with a simple smile, but his fidgeting didn’t go unnoticed and No’a smirked knowingly - though thankfully he decided not to tease this time.

“Mmhm. I called it ‘The Crystal Glows’ - not the best name, I know, but I like to keep it artsy. As for the lyrics…”

The bard cleared his throat and G’raha found himself sitting up straighter. With a strum of the harp, No’a began to sing.

_ Gaze to the sky, to the beacon of blue _

_ You’ll find hope living there, in the hearts of the few _

_ And deep in the crystal, a prince hid away _

_ Gazing down with such love at all that they’d made _

G’raha blushed, but said nothing. Of  _ course _ he’d call him a prince - No’a always took a great deal of delight in teasing him with that title. Yet… the lyrics seemed sincere.

_ Oh, what pain he had gone through _

_ Yet he never gave in to despair _

_ He stood strong and tall, and hope heeded his call _

_ Light fell and night rose, and the crystal still glows… _

A drastically oversimplified version of events, but G’raha couldn’t fault him for that - No’a’s songs tended to be on the short side, but at the same time contained all they needed in such few words. ‘The crystal still glows’... Indeed it was. He still hadn’t the faintest clue as to how or why he was still alive, but as days went on he found himself caring about that fact less and less. He knew No’a was beyond relieved about it as well - maybe that was why he’d included a lyric that would mean little to a general member of the public…

_ No longer hiding, the prince is adored _

_ With a new life before him, who knows what’s in store? _

_ The beacon of hope shines strong to this day _

_ With the crystalline prince duly leading the way _

With a final instrumental flourish the song was over, and G’raha found himself clapping before he realised what he was doing. No’a thankfully took it in stride, chuckling and even getting up from his chair to bow with a cheeky grin. “Why thank you, thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience! And a special thank you to the beautiful redhead down in front~” He leaned down to G’raha and gently kissed his forehead, earning a chuckle and a soft Spoken hand to hold the side of his face from the Exarch which he leant into with a warm smile.

“No’a, that was… oh, how to put it…” G’raha hummed as he tried to think of the right words to say. Why did No’a always have this effect on him? It was both remarkable yet maddening.

“Beautiful again? Flattering? Truly a declaration of love that was only to be expected from my incredibly handsome, insanely talented Warrior~?” No’a playfully suggested, leaning in for another kiss on the lips this time which G’raha happily reciprocated.

“All those things, yes,” he agreed, his smile reaching his eyes. “I’m glad we could spend some time together in between my work.”

Instantly No’a’s ears and expression fell, and G’raha felt a twinge of guilt as his smile grew strained. He purposely left that little tidbit out of his missive so the bard wouldn’t feel pressured to meet him, but thinking about it now, maybe it would've been kinder to just tell him outright that he wasn’t going to have much time today…

“Oh… You’ve got one of those fancy Exarch meetings, then?” No’a asked, and G’raha had to stifle a fond giggle at “fancy Exarch meetings” - despite explaining a number of times what takes place, No’a never took it in. It made him wonder if he had ever actually paid attention in the presence of the Eorzea Alliance, or simply relied on Alphinaud to brief him afterwards.

Regardless, G’raha hesitated. “Well… That is… No, I, uh, don’t actually have any meetings today…”

Oh, what a mistake admitting that was. Blue ears slowly perked up again, and a mischievous grin crawled its way over the bard’s face. He leant forward again, gently knocking their foreheads together as No’a spoke in a low tone. “Then why do you have to dash off if you’ve got nowhere to be, sweetness? Why not stay here~?”

That… was a good, tempting question, and one the Exarch was going to try his best to answer while stifling the growing heat in his cheeks because  _ wicked white he’s impossibly close, did his eyes always  _ glow _ like that? _ “I-I… I  _ do  _ have somewhere to be, No’a, even if I don’t have a meeting. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy your company, nothing could be further from the truth in fact - but the sooner we sort out the soul transference for the Scions, the better it’ll be-“

“-for no-one if you keep overworking yourself, Raha.” No’a interrupted, his gaze growing stern for just a moment as he pulled away and put a hand on his hip. “How many times do we have to tell you? It’s a priority, yeah, but we don’t want you to suffer for their sake.”

_ Too late for that, _ G’raha thought, recalling the pain that shot up his crystal arm a few weeks back.

“When was the last time you spent an evening outside the tower?” No’a asked him, oblivious to the Exarch’s thoughts, and somehow that was an even harder question to answer as G’raha furrowed his brow in thought.

“Let’s see… Since we returned from the Tempest… Um…”

No’a waited patiently.

“... I… don’t remember,” G’raha finally admitted sheepishly. No’a could only sigh in fond exasperation, stretching for a second before walking to the door with a lazy beckoning motion. “Come on then.”

“Uh… Pardon?” The Exarch remained seated, tilting his head in confusion.

The bard spun on his heels and grinned that mischievous, handsome grin again. “Since you don’t have anything important tonight, we’re going to have a date night! I’ve been meaning to organise one anyway, so this is perfect timing.”

“A date night?” G’raha was surprised but smiled nonetheless at No’a’s enthusiasm, watching as he grabbed a familiar-looking purple coat off the hook. “Are you sure? I would think after your training today, you’d want to head to bed early. We can do this some other time…”

“Oh, I’ve always got time for you, sweetness~” No’a sang, leaning against the large wooden doors. “And it’ll be fun, I promise - we can get some free dinner and drinks at The Wandering Stairs courtesy of you being the Exarch, take a walk around to watch the stars, then head back here for the night? I bet my bed’s a lot more comfortable than whatever you’ve got in the tower~”

G’raha didn’t doubt that - the furniture he brought with him when he travelled to the First was in urgent need of replacement - but still, he hesitated. “No’a, love… I appreciate the offer, truly, but…”

But… But come to think of it, why shouldn’t he take it? No’a’s lyrics from earlier echoed in his mind. He had a whole new life given to him when he had been so sure and  _ accepting  _ of his own death, yet he was spending that time just like he had done for the past century - if only because he didn’t know what to do with himself otherwise. His newfound relationship with No’a and their daily three o’clock afternoon teas were a welcome change, and he often caught himself with a spring in his step like he was that 24 year-old scholar all over again, but for all intents and purposes he was still acting as the solitary overseer, throwing himself into his work with little regard for his own wellbeing so long as his goal was reached.

His life’s work, and indeed the work of all those he left behind, had succeeded. Two worlds had been saved, and the First was changing for the better - why couldn’t he do the same thing?

“... Actually,” G’raha rose from his seat and started making his way to the doors, “I think it’s a marvellous idea.”

“Really?”

“Mmhm. Don’t expect it to be a common happening, mind you - you can’t always charm me with a beautiful song to get me to go along with your schemes~” He smirked at No’a, whose lit-up expression and excitedly flicking tail was the very definition of joy.

“Oh, I think you’ll find I’ll do my damndest to try anyroad,” No’a replied with a grin, pulling the Exarch in for a chaste kiss before entwining their hands together, using his other hand to hold open the door before bowing. “Now then, after you, your highness! Let’s make this a night to remember~”

With a fresh blush quickly overtaking his face, G’raha laughed and quickly hurried out, No’a barely leaving enough time to lock the doors before practically pulling the Exarch to their destination just a few short fulms away from the Pendants. As G’raha listened to the bard’s musings about writing a new song to honour Ardbert, he found himself thinking, for a selfish moment, that if he were truly a prince as his song suggested, then in turn No’a would surely be his beloved knight in shining armour.

Well, maybe not shining… but definitely rolanberry-coloured, at least.


End file.
